TYPES AND BREEDS OF POULTRY 469 



characteristic of water fowl, is oiled by a natural secretion, 

 which prevents water from penetrating among the feathers. 



Three types of ducks are recognized, meat, egg-laying, 

 and ornamental. Those which best supply the needs of the 

 table for meat are most in demand. 



The Pekin duck was brought to England from Pekin, 

 China, in 1874. It is white in color and of large size, weigh- 

 ing 7 to 9 pounds, and is the most popular duck for table 

 use. The bill is orange-yellow in color, while the shanks 

 and toes are reddish orange. The Pekin duck may be re- 



Figure 224. Pekin ducks on a Rhode Island farm. Photograph by Chas. X. 



Arnold. 



garded as the universal favorite where duck culture is con- 

 ducted on a large scale in the United States. 



The Aylesbury duck is white and much resembles the 

 Pekin. The bill is flesh-colored, and the legs and feet are 

 pale orange. The standard weight is the same as the Pekin. 

 These ducks are more popular in England, where they have 

 been bred many years, than they are in America. 



The Rouen duck is a breed that takes its name from a 

 city in northern France, where it has long been bred. It is 

 grayish in color, with dark shadings or black on head, neck, 



